Famous Last Words: Week 2

The other day, I woke up and started thinking about the past few weeks of my life. My first thought was, "Dang, January has been a long month!"

It hasn't been bad, by any means, but so much has happened since the New Year began, I feel like I've lived a whole life in just four weeks! The month feels like it's stretched on forever. For instance, this is what I keep thinking...

It was December 31st when Josh took his DAT and told me his score, which was kind of a big deal. A major life step, even if it didn't go as well as he wanted.

And then, it was January when we left for Disney World—January 1st! We left to stay at my uncle's house in Midlothian, Texas, and our journey still hadn't officially begun. Since then, we've had an amazing (and long), much-anticipated road-trip as a couple, rocked Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, even a bit of Disney Springs), gotten engaged (AH!), made the long trip home, visited my aunt in Arkansas, celebrated our engagement with my family, spent a week returning to "regular life" with new responsibilities at work, spent the rest of the time that week mentally preparing for the fact that I was moving out of my parents' house (and my little sister's, *sniff*), moved out, cleaned my new place, decorated my new place, started wedding planning, nailed down a cake, gelato, and coffee-bar caterer, started a new semester (Two weeks? We've only been in school for two weeks?), and decided I'm going to graduate in December. Of 2016, of course. It's all coming full-circle.

 

(My Brain this month)

Man, if that wasn't a run-on sentence if you've ever seen one... but that's what January feels like! One long, if not totally exciting, run-on sentence. But tomorrow is February. So if you've got another major event to throw at me, Life... better do it now, while it's still your month.

Week 3 Reading Diary: Classical; Aesop's Fables

Aesop's Fables, anonymous 

I didn't know "the lion's share" meant something taken by unfair force or authority... interesting. I love seeing those big lists of commonly misused phrases or idioms. "First come, first served!"

Androcles and the Lion: I always expect these fables to have unhappy and sometimes disturbing endings, because they're usually the harsh truths about life, but I like that this story surprised me--instead of eating his friend, the starving lion ran to him and greeted him as a friend. You always want to surprise people in stories; otherwise, they're boring. Write something unexpected!

The Lion in Love: Role Reversal. In some stories, you start reading thinking you're cheering for one particular character (in this case, I assumed the lion would do the usual "lion thing" of a story and get mad, or try to trick the parents; kill the girl, kill them, I don't know). But then you realize who the real "bad guy" is! It does a sick thing with your reader's emotions. At the end of this story, I felt bad for the lion and thought, "you sick humans, what's wrong with you?" Something like this sort of happens in The Shining. The story starts with a relatively sympathetic protagonist, John, who is confronted with all sorts of demons, both internal and external. As the reader, you want him to overcome his fears of inadequacy, his troubles with the creepy hotel. But as he fails, you have to cheer for his wife and kid, who are suddenly trapped on a mountain with a psychotic murderer. And then you're pretty satisfied when the once-sympathetic father burns alive with the devil-hotel.

I've loved writing "poems," or rhyming verses for a long time. Sometimes I think the shorter, "quippy" verses of the fables have more impact than the longer stories, because it leaves more room for the reader to interpret the meaning behind the fable, rather than focus on characters or setting.

The Wolf and the Lamb: "If it was not you it was your father." And with that he rushed upon the poor little Lamb and . . . WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA WARRA . . . ate her all up. --One of the reasons I shy away from onomatopoeia in writing: it just reminds me of cheesy Batman cartoons or makes me giggle. WARRA WARRA WARRA! Describing crunching bones (while not kid-friendly) might fit the mood of the story better.

 

(WARRA WARRA WOLF!)

One of the differences between the fables and my stories will be the writing style. Obviously, these tales are old, and so the language is different, but I've learned that "good writing," doesn't come from using complicated speech and elaborate vocabulary. You just need to make it flow, and have action driving the story.

Possible Storybook Topics

So many choices... I've never been great at making decisions—not that I don't make good decisions, it just usually takes me a while to arrive at my best possible conclusion. It took me almost thirty minutes to decide which wedding planner to buy at Barnes & Noble. Restaurant outings with Josh are a disaster. But I'm trying to improve.

Possible Topic: DRAGONS!
If you know me, (and none of you do), you know that I'm a little obsessed with dragons. If I see that a book has a dragon in it (and it doesn't look like it's been horribly written), I want to read it. I loved every seen from The Hobbit that involved Smaug (and every other scene). "I am fire. I am death!" Man. Goosebumps. I even plan on writing about a girl who turns into a dragon for my capstone. (Judge me now; my inner dork is shining).

 

(Epic depiction of a dragon)

So obviously, I love dragons. However, I'll admit that I haven't read much about original dragon folklore. What I do know about dragons comes from The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Harry Potter... etc. I know they love treasure, they're usually depicted as evil or selfish, and sometimes knights go on a quest to destroy them. And the obvious things, like that they breathe fire and have scales...

Research: I'd love to learn more about their history—where the original legends of dragons came from, what some of the most classic stories about them are, and "little known facts." I didn't find out many new things from the storybooks I read, other than a few stories about specific dragons from myths. I'd like to explore the "dragons at the edge of the earth" theory. Back when people thought the world was flat, they believed the edge of the world was where the dragons lived. Maybe I could do a story about Christopher Columbus's little brother who discovers there really are dragons somewhere far at sea, but decides not to report it because he wants to live there himself... or something like that.

Possible Topic: Pirates
Speaking of traveling the seas, I'm also interested in pirates. I think it started when I read Peter and the Starcatchers a while ago. Something about the wildness of the open sea draws me, at least in my imagination. I can't say that I have any real desire to travel far out into the ocean on a boat.
I know that Blackbeard was a real pirate, but other than that, I don't know a lot of facts about pirates. I think it would be neat to do a storybook about four famous pirates who all knew each other as boys, or maybe even what their lives were like from the perspective of their mothers... if anyone is hard to love, it's a pirate. But your mom always loves you, right? Maybe a mommy support group for mothers of pirates.

 

(Blackbeard) 

Research: I liked the Piracy: Not Just for Men storybook, especially since "pirate code" typically depicts women on a ship as bad luck. So, a combination of stories about women pirates would be pretty neat. I also think it would be interesting to tell the story of several pirates from one very old parrot's perspective. Everyone thinks pirates have parrots on their shoulders, but maybe one tenacious bird stuck with these thieves throughout history. I'd also like to read some books about pirates. It might be interesting to find a few kids' books and rewrite the stories for adults.

Possible Topic: Nursery Rhymes
The thing I love about this topic is there is so much room to create my own ideas. With already-written stories, I sometimes have trouble getting my imagination out of the original tale and creating my own. Since nursery rhymes are so short and usually nonsensical, there are a thousand different directions I could go with each rhyme. I know several just from growing up, and I'm sure each child's interpretation of them is a little bit different, so even expanding the story from my point of view could work. However, I think I'd like to start with nursery rhymes that are completely new to me even better (preferably without looking at the illustrations), so that my slate would be completely blank.

Research: I think The Real Mother Goose would be a great place to start, since it has hundreds of rhymes, many of which I've never read. I'd also like to incorporate the history of the real Mother Goose; she could be telling the stories to the same children as before, but now they're grown up and are mature enough to know "the real story." I imagine that before, odd things were happening in the children's lives, and she had to think of a nice way to explain them, but now they get to know the truth.

Possible Topic: History Explained
When I saw Historical Storybooks, I imagined writing explanations for real-life phenomenons in history. I could write about the origin of Stonehenge, the reason these lighthouse keepers in Scotland mysteriously disappeared, the explanation for these lost cities, or even four separate stories about the peculiarities of Winchester House.

Research: I know a little about Stonehenge, but the rest of these mysteries are fairly new to me. I'd like to read different articles about them, discover what facts are consistent, and then fill in my own blanks for story ideas. This was my last idea, but I think it might actually divulge the most interesting avenues for stories.

Famous Last Words: Week 2

I know it's not quite the end of the week yet, but I want to write this anyway. It sort of feels like the days have flown by, with MLK day off, it being the first days of classes (usually less work), and only having one class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I like all of my classes so far, and it feels like they're all going to be pretty manageable. That is, if I can summon an idea for my novella. Once I have that, I'll feel a lot better about the rest of the semester. We'll have four weeks to write 20,000 words (5,000 a week), and then the rest of capstone should be like coasting downhill after killing yourself to pedal to the top. I just need to find a place to put my feet.

Yesterday, I went to my adviser and asked if I could graduate early (this December). Four years for me would end in May of 2017, but our wedding is in June, and I want time to find a full-time job and plan the wedding without school getting in the way.

So, after waiting through three other advising sessions, I walked into Monica's office, and the first thing she said was, "Let me see your ring!" It's nice to know that our advisers are interested in us on a personal level, too.

Anyway, because I'm ahead (hurray for concurrent enrollment in high school and an AP test!) and my last two semesters were going to be light anyway, I can do it! I can graduate in December. I'll have to take three summer classes and a full fifteen in the fall (surprisingly, I've actually never done that), but since they'll all be electives, it shouldn't be too difficult. I haven't officially told my parents yet... I guess part of me wants to get through the summer classes first. Last summer, I enrolled in one that was pretty difficult and ended up dropping it. I'll just need to choose wisely and remember why I'm taking the classes in the first place.

Here's to being done paying tuition before next year!

(My hopes)

And then I'll get to pay for fun things, like insurance and phone bills. Yay!

Storytelling, Week 2: Son of the King

“You can’t play with us, Solo!” Little Anna Whitewash hoisted her perpetually pointed nose into the desert sky as she yanked the ball away from Solomon. “My mommy said it’s too dangerous because you might get mad at us, and make your daddy murder us.”

Solomon ducked his head, his round cheeks flushing a bright red. “I wouldn’t do that,” he mumbled.

“Well, my mommy said that your family is spoiled anyway,” Rebecca Maycamp chimed in. “And she doesn’t want me playing with the son of an adult-er-er.”

A tear slipped over Solomon’s cheek and he dragged his pudgy fist across his face. “My daddy said he’s sorry,” he said in a futile attempt to reassure his classmates. “He said God—” He stopped, hiccupping. “—forgave him.”

But Anna and Rebecca simply rolled their eyes and ran off to resume their game of catch. Their minds were made up about Solomon and his daddy, for their mothers had assured them that no good could come from a boy born of adultery and murder, even if Solomon and the other children had no idea what these words meant. And the parents had warned their innocent children to stay away from Solomon, lest some of his father’s wrongdoing rub off on their spotless little children.

That night, Solomon lay in bed crying, muffling his sobs against his straw-stuffed pillow. There was a soft thump at his door, and he lifted his head.

“Solomon?” His father, David, stood in the doorway, candlelight from the marbled hallway leaking over his shoulders and around his sides. “Are you alright?”

Solomon sniffed and pushed himself up so that he could see his father’s face. Heavy lines ran across the king's broad forehead, and a thick graying beard softened his square jaw. David’s face was strong, and his presence demanded the attention of a crowded room—but Solomon noticed the slight twinkle in his father’s large, brown eyes. He always listened to him, and he was kind. Why did his friends think he was so bad?

“They said you were a bad man, Daddy,” Solomon whined. “They said you did mean things and they don’t want me to play with them in case I do bad things, too.”

David sighed and sunk into the bed next to his son, straw rustling beneath the soft cloth. “Little Man,” he said. “I did do some bad things. I did terrible, terrible things.” He dragged his hand over his face and gazed into the hallway, thinking. “But I’m sorry for what I did, and I don’t ever want to do something like that again. God forgave me.”

Solomon sniffed. “How do you know He forgave you?”

“He told me so. And...Out of the terrible mess I made, He brought me you.” David poked his son’s chest. “And that is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

Solomon smiled. “But what about the kids at school? Why don’t they forgive you?” Why won’t they play with me? He thought.

“Don’t worry about them,” David said. “You just be the best Little Man you can be, and they’ll see it doesn’t matter what your daddy did. And if they don’t… well, then that’s their loss. God still loves you.”

Solomon sighed. It wasn’t exactly the answer he was hoping for. He felt dirty, somehow, and angry that everyone seemed to see the mud of his father’s past when they looked at him. He wanted to be a great king like his father (for he still thought his father was a great man, no matter what other people said), but how could he become something great when no one would give him the chance?

“Hey—” David lifted his son’s jaw toward him. “Chin up, Little Man. Our God is bigger. And He has great plans for you.”

As his father spoke, a soft light flickered in the corner of the room. A man in glowing white stood behind the king, so tall, his head nearly touched the ceiling. Solomon froze in fear.

David squinted at his son. He followed his gaze to the corner of the room and turned back to Solomon.

“What do you see, Solomon?”

The boy just stared. Then the man in the corner smiled, and Solomon relaxed a little. A strange peace flooded his body, and he smiled, too.

“Solomon?”

He looked at his father. “I think I see what you mean, Daddy.”

That night, Solomon dreamed that God had made him king, and people came from all around to seek his help. And Solomon would speak to God, and he didn't care what people thought, because he knew the greatest King loved him. 

(Solomon and David, in my mind)

I based my story on the story of Bathsheba  from 2 Samuel (some time around 960 B.C.) a woman King David saw bathing on a rooftop. David called for her, and they slept together while Bathsheba's husband Uriah was away at war (on behalf of David's kingdom). Bathsheba got pregnant, David panicked, and sent Uriah to the front lines so he would die. David's plan worked, and he took Bathsheba as his wife. Then a prophet came to David and said, "Because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the LORD, the son born to you will die." And he did. However, David and Bathsheba had a second child, whom "The Lord loved." This child grew up to be the famous and wise King Solomon. 

I've always loved (and wondered at) the story in 2 Samuel, because David made a huge mistake. Like, colossal. But the Bible still refers to David as "a man after God's own heart," and he was one of the greatest kings who ever lived, proving you aren't defined by your mistakes. Anyway, this time, I thought about how funny it was that the wisest, richest king was born of such a seemingly rotten and hopeless situation. And I wondered what that looked like from his point of view.  

Week 2 Review

(Nametag)

My favorite part of the announcements this week was the phrase, "Please call me Laura." I've always thought addressing professors as "Dr." was kind of awkward... or worse, when you have know idea how to address him/her. So this was comforting. My favorite professor also has us call him by his first name, and it just simplifies things.

Week 2 Reading Diary: Bible Women part 2

"And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled." I love this image of Saul's heart trembling—it's not a phrase you hear often, so it paints a more vivid image of his fear. That's one thing I want to improve with my writing—do away with over-used phrases and descriptions and paint my own.

They say that no story is new, which is partially true, in that basic themes and plots have all been written before. Take Solomon, the son of an adulterer, who grows up to be the wisest and richest man in history—a true "rags to riches" story. Sort of, because he was technically born a prince, just not under the best circumstances. That's something to consider when writing a story—you can take a basic plot-line, change up the characters, add a few twists, and it's an entirely new story. 

The phrase "And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle," reminds me of C.S. Lewis's writing because he often says things like, "and then the dog, as mindless animals often do, scrambled to find another hiding place for his bone in plain view of his master" (or something to that effect). He gives a tidbit of information that belies the nature of a character or "type" of character in a knowing and sometimes humorous way. One of my favorite lines from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is "And her smile faded, as fake smiles often do." By adding that last clause, Lewis gives us insight into the Wicked Queen's true nature in a creative way. 

"And the woman was very beautiful to look upon," cuts to the chase, sure, but I've learned that words like "beautiful" or "handsome" don't cut it in writing. Everyone has different definitions of beautiful or pretty or ugly. Describe the character! Then give some insight into how your protagonist feels about this woman with long, silky hair and pale skin. Or whatever he/she may have.

(Bathsheba on the roof)

After David calls Bathsheba's husband home to give a report on the war (after David slept with his wife), Uriah doesn't go home and relax in his house, even though he's been at war and had a long journey home. Instead, he tells the king, "The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing." Talk about sympathy for the guy. Not only did his wife cheat on him, but he's noble—and getting totally screwed over. If you want readers to like a character... add a line like this one.

These Bible Women stories are written by several different authors, but each excerpt is taken from the King James version of the Bible.

Learning Challenge: Happiness/Grateful Blog

Today, I decided to blog about something that made me happy each day, and something I am grateful for.

So this is Day One:

Happy: Today, my dad got a call from Amy Cakes saying that she's willing to trade floor cleaning/sealing (my dad's business) in exchange for our wedding cake and groom's cake! So of course, I'm really excited about this. Her cakes are awesome, and I'm extremely grateful for this!

(One of Amy's cakes)

Grateful: This morning, my step mom brought me some leftover chili, so I didn't have to make or buy my lunch, which is always great.


Day 2: Jan. 20, 2016

Happy: I'm happy I get to see all (well, most) of my PW friends in capstone today! My major classes have consisted of the same group of people since Intro, and we've grown pretty close.

(my Professional Writing class at our end-of-semester pizza party) 

Grateful: I'm grateful my roommate (and best friend since kindergarten) Kessa sleeps like a rock. I get up at 5:00am, and I have to walk through her room to get just about anywhere in the house (kitchen, bathroom). If she wasn't such a sound sleeper, I'd feel even more guilty every morning for all of my walk-throughs.

Day 3:

Grateful: I'm so grateful I was able to find my history book online, so now I don't have to pay $60+ for it! Otherwise, I probably wasn't going to buy the book, and just... do a little worse.

Happy: I get to graduate in December! I'll have to motor through the next year and not let myself fall behind or get discouraged from completing three summer classes... but come January, I'll be free of school stress. Hoorah.

(This will be me again. In a little less than a year.)

Day 4: January 22, 2016

Grateful: As believed, God has given me another story idea (for capstone)! Novel and novellas are a little tougher to outline, but I've learned to trust that God will help my creativity right when I need it and just when I've forgotten about it (usually). 

Happy: As I was sitting in bed on Friday night (I won't share how early it was, but let's just say parties everywhere weren't even getting started), about to read, Josh called me and asked me to be spontaneous and drive up to Edmond to see him. And so I did! And I'm horrible about spontanaety. I have to have my routine, and I like a plan. So I'm proud of this small step.

Day 5: January 23, 2016

Grateful: The reason I hadn't already planned to visit Josh over the weekend was that I was low on gas, and didn't really have it in my budget to get more, unless I wanted to dip into my school money, which I did not. But, Josh offered to fill my tank, which was very sweet and generous of him! (Especially considering neither of us are exactly rollin' in dough at the moment. haha) So, I'm very thankful for that, and for him.

Happy: We toured Noah's Event Center in OKC, and I loved it! I got excited just walking through the place. It may not be our final decision, but it was nice to see a place that I liked, where I could see myself getting married.

Day 6: January 24, 2016

Grateful: The girl who lived in this house before me (one of my friends) left all her towels, so I don't have to get any yet!

Happy: My pastor (who doesn't do many weddings) agreed to do our wedding! I was so excited, I gave him a hug on the spot. I couldn't imagine anyone else marrying me and Josh; this is the church we've both attended and grown in the past three years. AND my little sister got baptized!

(Ella's baptism. She swam to Coby.)

Day 7: Jan. 25, 2016

Happy: My little sister got a safety watch she can make phone calls on today. She's seven, and she's called me three times this evening, asking what times she could call me in the evenings, and then later to read me a book my dad bought her yesterday because she thought I would like it. I most definitely did. It's the cutest thing.

Grateful: I'm grateful for my writing professor, Mel, who continues to make class enjoyable. He opens up to us, and lets us open up to him, and going to class is always fun.

Day 8: Jan. 26, 2016

Grateful: For having my bike to ride to class. It's so much faster!

Happy: Ella left me a voicemail with the story There's a Wocket in my Pocket. She said, "It's a rhyming book, so I think you'll like it." And then read me the whole book over the phone.

 

(The book) 

Day 9: Jan. 27, 2016

G: Josh is so patient...in lots of ways with me, but today, he stood there in the grocery store for a good ten minutes while I picked out a facewash. 

H: I finished my history work tonight! and did not wait until tomorrroooow.

Day 10: Jan. 28, 2016

G: That none of my carelessly-left items were stolen! I left my keys in my front door, left my phone on the water fountain in the library, then left my keys again in my bike! I've lost my mind. 

H: I get to see Josh tomorrow!!!

Day 11: Jan. 29, 2016

H: I got to spend the afternoon with my man, even if we are on our way to Lawton...

G: His mom took us out to eat, so we didn't have to figure out what to have for dinner (since we were staying at my mom's house, who is always out of town and therefore has no groceries.)

Day 12: Jan. 30, 2016

G: I got to work at LuLu's and make some grocery money! It doesn't sound fun, but I love working at the coffee shop where I met my man. It was my first job, and it's always interesting, if not fun.

H: Ella has a stomach virus and won't eat anything but popsicles, but I offered to bring her her favorite, a blueberry LuLu's bagel with strawberry cream cheese (but jelly since the doctor said dairy would make her sick), she actually got excited! And then she actually ate it!

Day 13: Jan. 31, 2016

H: Our church has a horse-lovers small group! Uhm, yeah, must join!

G: I was able to pay for all my groceries (almost right on the dot) with my LuLu's earnings, and I got to go for a beautiful, hour-long walk around campus! I love walks and sunshine.

Day 14: 2-1-16

G: Dad and Dana brought me a quiche, so I didn't have to rush to make lunch before dance! (I'm noticing a pattern with food in the grateful category... and money...)

H: Hugging my dad when he brought me the quiche. 

Day 15: 2-2-16

G: I finished my outline for capstone! This is almost more relief than gratitude... but right in time for class! (Just before I had to leave for class; I finished the assignment early.) Yes. 

H: I asked Josh what I should do for a workout, and he said, "Do jumping jacks. With a little booty shakes." It made me laugh. He's such a goob.

Day 16: 2-3-16

G: God reminded me in my writing class today to speak only words that build others up. This is something I've been praying about; to remember to shut my mouth when it's unnecessary to speak. I don't have to say something smart-allecy every chance I get.  :p 

H: People in dance talked to me today! Usually, I stand there awkwardly while other people who know each other chat before class, but I chit-chatted today, too. 

Day 17: 2-4-16

G: Dana brought more food and some rent money for me at work!

H: Talking about my Valentine's plans with Josh. I don't care what we do, but I want to make it special for him this year. He's always doing something for me. I'm excited to turn it around!

Day 18: 2-5-16

G: Dana brought me more food and stuff to return at target for the money... parents... they're really sweet. Can't keep them from helping, and I really am grateful for that.

H: Josh found a pair of shoes that I've been searching for for months, and on sale! He got them for me because I couldn't when he found them. I looooove them!

Day 19: 2-6-16

H: I tried on wedding dresses today! This was the first time... and it felt weird, at first! I told Kessa, "I don't feel old enough to be trying on wedding dresses..." but it was fun! 

G: Kessa got to come with me! I thought she'd have to go to dance, but she had time, and then Dana came, too. I didn't get to try on the dress I thought the shop would have, but they said they could order a sample one for me to try on soon! 

Day 20: 2-7-16 Super Bowl Sunday!

H: My parents love Josh so much. Dad actually said the other day, "Man, I miss having Josh around..." Right now, Josh is at my parents' house helping my dad organize the garage and hang a chandelier while I'm at my house doing homework... sounds odd, maybe, but he's part of the family, and has been for a while now. I wouldn't have it any other way.

G: For the constant support of my family and friends. I know through this wedding process, they'll be by my side, and do their best not to stress me out or push their opinions on me. I have the best family, and the best friends. 

Day 21: 2-8-16

Grateful that the wind wasn't as bad as I expected it to be on my bike. It was pretty brutal, though! I just seemed to be heading the right direction at the right time for most of the day.

Happy that I worked up the gumption to work out when I was tired. I was pretty swamped after the Super Bowl (even though I only went to bed like... an hour or so later than usual?). I talked myself out of my usual 9:30 workout class, then by the time it started, I had talked myself back into it! If I just walk out on the floor, I can do it. And it made the rest of my day feel a little more productive, since I just wanted to lay around anyway. 

Day 22: 2-9-16

G: I had a good text conversation with my mom! I hate phone calls, and hers are usually long, so I'm not a huge fan, and then I don't usually give the conversation the attention it deserves because I just want to GET. OFF.the.PHONE., but we had a pretty substantial conversation over text, and, well, I thought it was pretty fun.

H: My workout! I got the "rush" I used to get after a long run... I was pretty drained afterward, but in a good way. I felt high and a little lightheaded at the same time. That sounds bad, but it was like a workout high mixed with the fact that I needed to eat something. Anyway, my body felt like it had done a good job, and I "enjoyed" it. Haha

Day 23: 2-10-16

G: I'm so grateful my parents taught me the value of money when I was young! I started a Financial Peace class tonight in preparation for our upcoming marriage, and a lot of the stuff in the first lesson were elements I've had engraved in my brain since I was six or seven. I'm a saver by nature, but I know a lot of it comes from good guidance.

H: I heard there's going to be a new Harry Potter book?!?!?! Whaaaaat?! I'm pretty sure I'll be in the middle of three summer courses and wedding planning when it comes out, but will that stop me from buying it at midnight and reading until I fall asleep? I think not. And I just realized that's the first and only time I'll be able to do that! I read the rest of them when I was in 8th grade, after my brother had been the one to attend the midnight releases. He even won a costume contest (earning him the book for free) at one of the releases. 

(My brother Grayson as Harry. And... yes. That's me lurking behind him. This was before any of the movies came out, so he and my mom devised this costume solely from descriptions in the book.) 

Day 24: 2-11-16

G: I got 2,000+ words written for my capstone! My goal is to have 3,000 done before Monday (preferably Sunday so I can celebrate V-day stress-free) and then have 2,000 left to write before Wednesday. It's going pretty well, so I can probably knock out another 1,000 tomorrow, and if not then, I'll probably have time Saturday. Yay! 

Oh, also grateful that I bought potatoes over the weekend... because I had a major potato craving today and you can bet I ate one of those suckers for lunch (with chicken and kale). Well, I ate half, and then an hour later decided I needed the other half. And then for dinner made bean dip and ate that. ALL THE CARBS. Yum. Grateful I had the carbs I was craving!

(Yes. I am one of those people who takes pictures of her food. This is my potatoes and kale.)

H: Just thinking about seeing Josh this weekend and spending time together, cooking for each other... it sounds cheesy, but it does make me happy! And so did my walk/talk in the sunshine today...and the guy at the HUFF who thought I "stole" a smoothie sample!

Day 25: 2-12-16 

H: We watched ourselves dance on video today...and it was kind of hilarious. It was fun to laugh at ourselves.

G: That I didn't have to dance in class Friday. It was video day, so we just watched ourselves dance. I could use the physical break; I usually go from CrossFit, to rushing home to eat, to biking to class, to dancing... and it's tiring.

Day 26: 2-13-16:

G: I'm grateful for the "discipline" I'm living in now that is preparing me for the future (Hebrews 12). Sometimes I'm dissatisfied with living like a college student--counting the price of groceries, determining if I want to go somewhere bad enough to spend the gas, putting school above fun. But I'm grateful my parents let me work for so much of what I have on my own, because I know it's preparing me for a day when I won't always have my parents to lean on! 

H: That I was able to make Josh smile when I said, "Bummer... you won't be home in time to watch the Kentucky game." He knows I don't like sports, but I specifically looked up game times this weekend (he likes Kentucky) so that I could watch one with him. Turns out, he hasn't been watching the Kentucky games lately because they aren't doing well, but he was really happy just knowing I cared enough to look it up. And that made me happy. 

Day 27: 2-14-16:

G: Josh knows me and agrees to my weird date request like exploring the fancy grocery store next to his house. (It's like a Whole Foods, but it's not.) I just wanted to wander around and oogle at all the different health foods, and he tagged along patiently. And he found the perfect color paint swatches as examples for our wedding colors! 

(Our wedding colors)

(Don't see this at a normal grocery store. We've tried Walden Farms calorie-free ranch dressing before... I'm not sure why... but this is coffee creamer. Not going there.)

(My dad used to buy this cereal all the time! It's healthier, and we would eat it with low-sugar chocolate milk... actually really good. Josh bought some and we chowed on it that afternoon.)

H: I decided to spend an extra night in Edmond so I didn't have to leave my fiance that night. He would have been home alone anyway, and getting up early for a Monday morning is nothing if you get to spend more time with the one you love!

Day 28: 2-15-16:

H: My grade for my first milestone in Capstone! 99, with positive comments! And my professor asked if I wanted to read my first few chapters in his novel class today. Big honor, in my book.

G: That I didn't have to read the whole thing out loud! We did popcorn reading, so I didn't have to read solo. I get nervous reading out loud, so that was helpful. And he was very complimentary, so that was a nice ego boost for the day!

Day 29: 2-16-16

G: I'm ahead on my work for capstone! That alone makes me...not stressed.

H: The sunshine! I'm so happy the weather isn't frigid anymore.

Day 30: 2-17-16

G: I didn't get hit by the train...after I was stupid enough to ride my bike across the tracks as the bars were lowering. I mean, it was pretty far away, but still...

Oh, and Josh gets to go to Key Men! The cost ended up being a lot less than he thought, and I know he really wanted to go. It's a great opportunity for him to connect with other guys in the area. 

H: Getting to hug my little sister, even if it was through a car window.  :) 

Day 31: 2-18-16

G: I have a Target gift card (from Christmas?) from my aunt, so I bought PEANUT BUTTER today!! (And some other groceries). I've been eating Peter Pan that someone left at our house, and I'm just not a fan of the not-natural peanut butter... it's too sugary, and I can taste it. Which, although I'm kind of icked-out by it, still sometimes makes me eat more. And then I feel sick. So, anyway...free groceries- and natural peanut butter!

 

(That sucker is in the trash! Because, no, I cannot just throw away peanut butter, even if it's not the kind I like. Not at the rate I eat it.)

H: I can't think of something that specifically made me happy today... but I am happy. My life is good. I've got a volunteer banquet at church tomorrow I'm excited about, and my writing is fun. I'm just happy.   :)

Day 32: 2-19-16

G: For our amazing volunteer banquet and awesome church! The barbeque was delicious, and even when the power went out, we all had a great time! I know they really appreciate the volunteers, and I'm so glad our church is so close even though it's getting so big! I pray that never changes!

(Pastor Adam speaking/praying before we break ground)

H: That they did the Lip Sync battle! Watching it made me laugh more than I have in a while... it was definitely hilarious. 

Day 33: 2-20-16

G: My parents helped me do my taxes (grrrr, rip brains out) and game me the space/materials to wash my car! Boy, did it need it.

H: I did the partner WOD with Kristyna (and I almost never make it to Saturday workouts), and it was fun! The camaraderie and competition was even more intense since she was counting on me and I was counting on her! And afterwords, we got to talk about how we both love editing. I workout with her almost every day and I had no idea! 

Day 34: 2-21-16

G: For my church family. I attended by myself today, but I never felt alone once. I even hung around the lobby to work on my milestone (which I completed even more of later!). And for a random babysitting job! It's always nice to earn some extra cash. 

H: Josh bought me Girl Scout cookies! :) Samoas and Tagalongs!

Day 35: 2-22-16

G: That I enjoyed my workout yesterday. My motivation has bee lacking, and I needed a good sweat session. And that we have a God who speaks to us, up close and personal, who gives so much grace!

H: To see Anansi and Brer Rabbit as story options this week!

Day 36: 2-23-16 

H: My one-to-one with Wes was really fun! ...and now I want to be a professional tree climber! We talked about CrossFit, how he's building what's basically an adult playground in his backyard, and how a palm tree is actually not a tree, it's a grass.

 G: For my healthy body, and that I've had the privilege to grow up eating well and exercising. I was educated more than most kids in that realm. 

Day 37: 2-24-16

G: For my time with my horse small group! I'm so glad I took the time to meet with them, because it was such a joy! Just to talk with other horse-lovers about God, our men, jobs, school, life... it was great. 

H: Hugging Ella through the car window  :) 

Day 38: 2-25-16

H: Talking to Josh at the end of my day about libraries, and how wonderfully overwhelming they are, and books, and my new tree-climbing obsession, and just laughing with him.

G: For Grandma's, Mom's, and Dana's help with the wedding garage sale! And for my best friend who apologizes (unnecessarily) just for not washing her dishes before she left for class--and who tells me to eat cookies.

Day 39: 2-26-16

G: That Grandma paid for Josh and I to go eat somewhere when we got to Lawton. It was late, we were tired, and I don't know what we would have done for dinner otherwise.

H: Having an "easy" day in dance! It was a small class, and we just did abs, ran through the basics really quickly, and stretched. 

Day 40: 2-27-16

G: For working at LuLu's, and all the generously-tipping customers! It's such a fun shop to work at, and I just love the place. 

(Lu Lu's Coffee & Bagel--if you're ever in Lawton, stop by!)

H: That my mom and I finally got to go on a walk together, and the weather was beautiful!

Day 41: 2-28-16

G: That this felt like a long weekend. At least, it didn't feel as unfulfillingly short as some weekends do. And I needed that. (Doesn't everybody, always?) And for all of the support surrounding The Open at our gym. Our members are awesome, and so are our coaches.

H: That I got my first chest-to-bar today!! And successfully completed 32 of them during my first Open workout ever!

Day 41 Feb. 29: 

G: I'm grateful I have spring break to finish my novella, and I don't have to validate all the open scores for our gym! It takes forever.

H: Running during the WOD today was actually fun! I wanted to just keep running for the whole workout. For the first time in a while, it felt fast and enjoyable!

Day 42 March 1: 

G: For the beautiful weather and that I finished my milestone...and that I'm enjoying writing this part of my book! And that my grandmother gave me a whole roast to take home!

 

(My grandma cooked the meat; I did the rest!) 

H: Ella gave me her storybook to read, and it was so cute! I loved the story she wrote, and it made me happy to know she wrote it for fun, not for school!

Day 44 March 2: 

Grateful that Kessa found my ring that I left on a shelf in our bathroom! She actually ran into my room, knelt next to my bed and held it out like she was proposing. If one of us had knocked it off or I'd woken up and realized it wasn't on my ring holder where I usually put it, I would have freaked!

I was happy that my PW class seemed to enjoy when I read Ella's story for them. I know it'll make Ella feel special when I tell her my friends loved her story, too. 

Day 45 March 3: 

I'm grateful for Mel. And that Eli was home so he could send me a picture of my shopping list that I forgot. And for Josh wanting to be there for me during my mini mental breakdowns. 

(Thanks, Eli!)

Happy: I got to eat lunch with Ella today at her school! She loved the "special room" we ate it. It's the cafeteria for the older kids, and the walls are painted like an ocean landscape. I still think it's kind of weird that you eat alone when you visit someone at her school, but I'm glad she enjoyed it. I also made my own peanut butter today, which was a ton of fun!

 (My homemade peanut butter)

Day 46 March 4:

I'm grateful that I have food, that I finished my myth story, that I went to Milik's recital (because it was really fun to see him play!) and that the weather was beautiful!

I'm happy to have my best friend to chit-chat with. And again, seeing Milik perform made me happy, reminded me of our high school friendship.  

Day 47 March 5: 

Happy: I found my wedding dress!!! (At least, I'm 99% sure I did.) and overall, had a great day with my mom! We got Cool Beans coffee, found my dress, ran some errands at Aldi, Big Lots, and Hobby Lobby, had Thai Delight for lunch, checked out Stash, browsed Natural Grocer... I'm thanking God it was just a fun day, because my mom and I don't see each other very often, and we have a tendency to argue.

(my Cool Beans coffee)

 (My mom's sashimi and my curry)

(The back of my dress!)

I'm so grateful for all my mom did for me this Saturday! Helping me pick out a dress, paying for the dress, running my errands with me, buying me lunch...

Day 48 March 6:

I'm grateful for the help of my fellow volunteers in The Kitchen at church! The frapps got way too crazy today, and Ali and her dad Ryan jumped in no problem!

Happy: Again, writing my book! I'm amazed at how much fun I'm having!

Day 49 March 7:

Grateful and Happy that I get to work from home today! Which means sleeping in (a little)!

Day 50 March 8:

It was so much fun decorating the house for Kessa's 21st birthday! 

I'm grateful I got to work from home again today, and that it rained so that I was in the mood to write (and got a lot done) and did lots of other homework. 

(I love the moody weather!)

Day 51 March 9: 

I talked to Josh for about an hour on the phone...about nothing. And it was fun! You're probably thinking, "duh, he's your fiance," but I really hate talking on the phone, and since we've been dating for so long, our phone calls are mostly just kind of the same-old same-old now. 

I'm grateful I had an extra hour to do my homework because my dance teacher couldn't make it to class! 

Day 52 March 10:

Grateful my health test was easy (100%!) and it didn't rain when I walked to or from class!

I was happy to hear that Josh is excited to tour venues this weekend! I'm having trouble enjoying the venue-search myself.

Day 53 March 11:

Grateful for another fun day with my mom- venue shopping, and she took us out to dinner (and dessert I didn't need at The Cheesecake Factory), and that she stopped to talk (calmly) to me when I got upset. 

Happy: The waitress told me, "I like you! You eat everything!" I thought it was pretty funny. And true. 

Day 54 March 12:

Josh and I played "football" in his backyard, and I cracked up! We always do when I play a sport. I'm ridiculous. But it was a lot of fun, and the weather was nice! 

I'm also really grateful for his hospitality (he's always ready and willing to jump up and buy groceries as long as I'm cooking! And I like cooking for him.) and I got to sleep in, and the turkey/sweet potato recipe I made was delicious!

(Quinoa stirfry and sweet potato turkey deliciousness!)

Day 55 March 13:

Grateful: Josh's mentor Jon and his wife Lonnie invited us to their church and then took us out for lunch afterwards. They're really sweet, and Lonnie was so fun. I'd never been to Red Rock Grill, and it was delicious. We got "something chocolate" for dessert!

(Something Chocolate at Red Rock Grill) 

I'm so happy I met a man who doesn't judge me for eating half of this. (Or at least if he does, he does it in good humor.) And then later, when I say, "cheesecake sounds good..." who immediately says, "Let's get cheesecake!" and then further tolerates me eating two and a half (small) pieces, plus a few Girl Scout cookies! Not to mention, he watched a really lame romcom with me, too. Josh rocks.

Day 56 March 14: 

I'm grateful for gorgeous weather, finishing my 2,000 words I aimed for, Kessa letting me use her Amazon account to order a new computer charger, having the house to myself, Aaron posting the WOD when my computer died, Chelsey judging my 16.3 score, all the box's spirit and camaraderie, and the escape I find in my writing and reading. 

I'm happy Kessa and I got the TV to work so I could watch movies while my laptop is dead! It helps to plug the yellow cord into the yellow outlet instead of the orange one...

Day 57 March 15:

Sigh. So happy to hear that Josh decided to study for the DAT again. I don't know where it'll lead, but lately I've been a little worried about our future, and concerned that we didn't have enough direction. So I'm happy he's decided to take this step. It's hush-hush, though; he's only telling me and his sister!

I'm so grateful the Lord keeps his promises--that He has a plan for us, that He will provide, and that He KNOWS what he's doing!

Day 58 March 16:

I really am grateful Josh is helping so much with the venue search. It's exhausting; I couldn't do it alone!

I loved getting a little sun on my shoulders and the idea of Spring Break next year with Kessa...we're hoping to take a beach trip together!

Day 59 March 17: 

I'm grateful my old boss's phone call (that I was dreading returning) was short, and that my new box is understanding about my mistakes at the job!

I loved laying out today, definitely made me happy. And I started thinking about a job as a dog trainer... exciting! 

Day 60 March 18:

Grateful my mom shared her dinner with Josh and me.

Happy: Baking apples with her! 

Day 61 March 19: 

Always grateful for LuLu's, and this time for Laura mopping the floors and closing the register! Also grateful for a great dinner at Dad's (brisket!) 

Happy: I loved spending the evening with my dad and Dana, and Ella gifted me a horse as an early birthday present (the horse used to be mine). We also played board games!

Day 62 March 20: 

Happy being at Victory Family Church with my man and getting to spend the day with him hanging out, running errands.

I'm grateful that he goes grocery shopping with me and that I had a free Chipotle burrito! 

Day 63 March 21: 

So grateful Krisyna did The Open workout with me, because I had no other chance to do it, and I needed a judge. Plus, that workout would suck to do solo!  (55 Deadlifts, 55 Wallballs, 55 Calorie Row, 55 Handstand Pushups!)

I'm just happy I got to the first handstand push-up in the workout! And being back with my PW friends after Spring Break. 

Day 64 March 22: 

Happy: I scrolled through my Facebook to check the date of our engagement, and it made me really happy seeing the photos and posts of congratulations, and just remembering how excited I was that first week. 

Grateful again that Josh is searching for venues while I try to get some school work done!

Day 65 March 23: 

I'm grateful I know a trustworthy computer guy and that I don't have much homework to stress over while my laptop is in the shop!

Happy: I loved sitting on the back porch tonight in the nice weather, reading my wedding book and talking to Josh. Also reading earlier in the day (The Name of the Wind) in the sunshine on a bench on campus!

Day 66 March 24: 

Happy: I loved watching Harry Potter with Ella tonight! I got to babysit her while my parents went out for their anniversary, and I knew I could get her hooked on my favorite series if I told her about Dobby! She spent the whole movie (Chamber of Secrets) trying to figure out who was petrifying everyone!

(Ella watching The Chamber of Secrets while we chow on Thai)

I'm grateful Ryan and Craig will be doing prequalification calls at my work and I'll just be the one organizing them! 

Day 67 March 25: 

I'm grateful my computer isn't busted up too bad. I'll use less than $200 from my emergency fund to fix it. 

Happy visiting with Josh and his family at BJ's!

Day 68 March 26: 

HAPPY: I loved The Open workout! I got to judge Ryan and cheer him on, and he did the same for me. I had to give him a death glare when he told me to do 9 reps in a row, though...but I did the reps! And I really enjoyed mine and Josh's walk to Firehouse, and our conversation.  :)

So grateful Josh helped me with my computer, and that he's patient, and for my awesome gym/job. 

Day 69 March 27 Easter:

So thankful Kessa let me borrow her dress, and that Dana made us all brunch!

(My roommate's dress)

Happy: Loved seeing everyone, seeing Ella, chilling on the couch, just relaxing and gaming with the family!

Day 69 March 28:

I'm happy thinking about everything Josh does for me. He's always eager to meet my needs, and it's so sweet. And I'm grateful I didn't have to make my lunch today...leftover Easter eggs! (deviled, yum)

Day 70 March 29: 

I'm grateful my Tuesday/Thursday class is one I can skip. Just wasn't worth it today. 

Happy: I went for a walk, and a cat just ran up to me from someone's porch! It was so sweet. 

(The friendly kitty)

Day 71 March 30:

So grateful I'll be taking Mass Comm Law in the summer and be done with it!

This stormy weather makes me pretty happy...and I'm glad I'll get to have Mel as a teacher again next semester! It'd be weird not to have a class with him, actually...

Day 72 March 31:

Grateful my haircut was in my price range, and that it turned out just how I wanted! And oh, for that head massage during the shampoo...I almost fell asleep. I'm so happy about my new hair, and the nice weather to sit outside and do homework in, and that I got to workout with Thurman this morning!

Day 73 April 1st:

I'm grateful I got to leave Chianti and finish homework before bed... Happy...I'm not sure. It was a weird day. I guess my workout made me happy that morning?

Day 74 April 2:

I'm happy being at Lu Lu's, and grateful for that mini job! Also grateful that I got a poem written for our Alice in Wonderland radio play!  

Day 75 April 3:

I'm grateful my dad changed my oil for me and that my grandma bought me groceries!

Happy: Going to the medieval fair (finally; I've never been) with my brother and seeing all the puppies everywhere! 

My brother (left) and two guys fencing at the fair (right)

Day 76 April 4:

I'm grateful I got most of my health project done—more weight off my shoulders! And that God has given me the time and resources I need to do it. I was really excited when I saw that Alice was part of the reading list for this week! Josh told me I should be a nutritionist today, too. That made me happy, to know he thinks it's something I'd be good at.  :)

Day 77 April 5: 

Happy: I got to lay out and do a lot of my homework in the sunshine! 

I really am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life—I'm surrounded by people who want to reach out and be my friend even when I'm...me...and distant. People at the box, in my PW class, my coworkers, my awesome horse small group, and the best roommate ever!

Day 78 April 6: 

I'm grateful I got to spend a whole day outside...with horses! And that Tammy made it possible for me to go. It made me happy when I got to lead one of the horses, no rope, no halter. It was just a great day overall.  :) 

(This was me after a day with horses—very happy, very sunned)

Day 79 April 7:

I'm grateful my dad came and looked at a rental house with me so I didn't have to go alone, and he brought me Disney movies to watch this weekend. :) I was happy when I found out my little sister wanted to watch the third Harry Potter when I babysit her tomorrow!